Author : Chelsea BarronChelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family. Check out her blog Wonder Wherever We Wander. on 19-Feb-2018 in We Wander Wherever

Traveling often is an amazing way to live. After all, who can resist seeing new things and new people on a regular basis? That said, it does come with its own set of challenges. This is especially true for those who are trying to live a greener and more eco-friendly lifestyle.

For instance, finding fresh, organically grown foods while traveling from place to place can sometimes prove pretty difficult. A stationary person has the luxury of finding a local weekly farmers market or growing their own garden, but a traveling person has to get a bit creative.

Traveling often is an amazing way to live. After all, who can resist seeing new things and new people on a regular basis? That said, it does come with its own set of challenges. This is especially true for those who are trying to live a greener and more eco-friendly lifestyle.

For instance, finding fresh, organically grown foods while traveling from place to place can sometimes prove pretty difficult. A stationary person has the luxury of finding a local weekly farmers market or growing their own garden, but a traveling person has to get a bit creative.

Most people assume that living and traveling in an RV automatically means growing their own food is not feasible. This is an understandable way to think, considering it would be pretty hard to pack up a plot of land. However, it is actually completely possible to grow certain plants while traveling.

Anything that will grow in a pot can be portable. While smaller plants such as herbs tend to be the easiest to transport, other plants like lettuce, carrots, and beans can also be grown in relatively shallow soil, and thus work well as potted plants.

Of course, when you pack up to move, you will want to find a place to keep your plants that both allows them to get sunlight and keeps them safe from falling. Additionally, you won’t want to travel for more than a day at a time in order to ensure your veggies are put back outside as soon as possible.

If you find you are having trouble with bugs and bunnies, make a solution of peppermint essential oil and white vinegar, adding one drop of peppermint to every ounce of vinegar. Spray this solution around (but not on) the plants.

Obviously, you won't be able to grow a full-fledged garden during your adventure. Therefore, you will need to find substitutes. The best way to do this is to find local farmers markets by running an internet search or asking around. Almost every city has a market during the summer and fall months, and this can be a great way to get fresh, locally grown foods.

It’s also a good idea to keep an eye out for small fruit and veggie stands on the side of the road. Because many campgrounds are located in rural areas, these pop up regularly on our travel routes, and offer tons of delicious produce options.

During the winter months, pulling from your garden and heading to the farmers market are no longer options. We recommend seeking out local natural food stores during this time in order to ensure you are getting the freshest organic produce out there.

If you find that the closest health food store is pretty far away, consider making a day of it—adding in an attraction along the way—and stocking up for your whole stay. Freeze (or can) anything that won’t keep, and supplement with regular store-bought produce when needed.

These are our favorite tips for finding the freshest food while we see the world. Do you have anything to add?

Author : Chelsea BarronChelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family. Check out her blog Wonder Wherever We Wander. on 14-Feb-2018 in We Wander Wherever

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and if you’re anything like me, you’re probably on the lookout for fun ways to make this holiday special.

We will, of course, be making cards as usual, but I have been looking for something to make the day even more fun and came up with the idea of building Valentine’s Day s’mores. We live in campgrounds after all, and considering campfires are an almost nightly occurrence, special s’mores simply make sense as a fairly easy yet still exciting way to celebrate with those we love.

Wondering how in the world we plan to make these Valentine’s-themed s’mores? Check my top 4 ideas so far.

We will, of course, be making cards as usual, but I have been looking for something to make the day even more fun and came up with the idea of building Valentine’s Day s’mores. We live in campgrounds after all, and considering campfires are an almost nightly occurrence, special s’mores simply make sense as a fairly easy yet still exciting way to celebrate with those we love.

Wondering how in the world we plan to make these Valentine’s-themed s’mores? Check my top 4 ideas so far.

#1: Start With a Heart

To begin with, get your hands on some heart-shaped graham crackers. While these aren’t sold in stores as far as I can tell, you do have a few options for obtaining them. You can:

Buy packaged graham crackers and cut out heart shapes by spritzing the cracker with a bit of water, sticking it in the microwave for 30 seconds, and using a heart shaped cookie cutter to get the size and shape you want.

Of course, the marshmallow deserves a holiday replacement as well. This is where Peeps step in. Any of the Peeps-brand marshmallow hearts will work just fine, and they’ll give your s’mores a fun and festive red or pink color.

Of course, if you can’t seem to find Peeps locally and don’t want to order online, you could also use strawberry Jet-Puffed Marshmallows for similar effect without the fun shape.

Chocolate tastes good no matter what kind of package it comes in, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a regular Hershey bar for your s’mores. However, when you can get that same classic taste in some adorable Valentine's Day packaging, why not go for it?

Obviously, the three special ingredients above are plenty enough to make your Valentine’s bash memorable. However, every celebration is better with sprinkles, and that’s why you should definitely have some on hand to add to your delicious celebratory desserts. These sprinkles should do the trick quite nicely, and you may even have some left over for cupcakes later!

I hope this article gave you a few ideas. Have fun celebrating the holiday of love with those closest to you gathered around the campfire. Let me know how it goes in the comments below.

Author : Chelsea BarronChelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family. Check out her blog Wonder Wherever We Wander. on 13-Feb-2018 in We Wander Wherever

In this installment of the Green Living on the Road series, I will be addressing what it takes to skip the disposable products while traveling. I hope these little tricks help you find a way to cut some of the disposable products out of your life.

Knocking the Paper Plate Habit

Perhaps the easiest and most obvious change you can make is to stop buying disposable dishes. Paper plates and styrofoam bowls are terrible for the environment, and it really isn’t that hard to wash your own dishes.

In this installment of the Green Living on the Road series, I will be addressing what it takes to skip the disposable products while traveling. I hope these little tricks help you find a way to cut some of the disposable products out of your life.

Knocking the Paper Plate Habit

Perhaps the easiest and most obvious change you can make is to stop buying disposable dishes. Paper plates and styrofoam bowls are terrible for the environment, and it really isn’t that hard to wash your own dishes.

Tips for washing dishes in an RV:

Wash dishes as often as you can in order to avoid a pile-up that is impossible to juggle with limited counter and sink space.

Make your hot water last as long as possible by turning off the water while scrubbing the dishes.

If boondocking, use a dish pan to catch the dishwater and use it for flushing later on. This will help you avoid filling your gray tank and will allow you to reserve fresh water for things like dishwashing and showers.

Some of the less obvious changes you could make include switching to cloth diapers and napkins, opting for cloth wipes instead of traditional toilet paper, and choosing cloth sanitary pads. Of course, this does take a bit more effort on your part, but it is doable, even in an RV.

Tips for using cloth products while RVing:

Purchase two covered containers, one to hold used diapers and feminine hygiene products and one to keep used toilet wipes in. Line each one with a wet bag to make clean up easy. Be sure to keep the covers on in order to reduce the smells in such a small place.

Purchase a small RV washing machine or a portable hand-powered clothes washer. This will give you the option to wash these more personal items at home rather than taking them to the laundromat with the rest of your clothing.

Another bonus of purchasing a small washer is the ability to wash these items regularly. Since you definitely don't want to leave these kinds of things sitting for long periods of time, try to wash everything every 2–3 days.

It is best to line-dry most of these items, and even those that can go in the dryer will last much longer when allowed to air dry. Therefore, you will want to invest in some sort of portable drying rack. Don’t want to put your personal products outside to dry? Go ahead and set the rack up in the bathroom and turn the vent fan on to create a breeze.

By putting these tips and tricks to use, you should be able to switch over to reusable products as easily as you might in a stationary house. Therefore, you have no excuse for using those disposable items, and it’s high time you pull the cloth napkins back out and start using them.

Author : Chelsea BarronChelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family. Check out her blog Wonder Wherever We Wander. on 08-Feb-2018 in We Wander Wherever

My husband and I recently went out looking at RVs. What we found is that many of the newest rigs are jam packed with so many modern amenities that they’re more comfortable than most houses. However, there is one important thing all RVs are still lacking: an internet connection.

While I didn't really expect an RV to come connected to the internet, I do dream of the day when this might happen. After all, my family uses the internet on a daily basis, and because it is used for work, RVing without it is out of the question.

When we first began our RV journey, we did a lot of research on this subject. We knew we would need a reliable connection in order to hit the road, and we knew that having our regular internet service follow us around was a no-go, so we we....

My husband and I recently went out looking at RVs. What we found is that many of the newest rigs are jam packed with so many modern amenities that they’re more comfortable than most houses. However, there is one important thing all RVs are still lacking: an internet connection.

While I didn't really expect an RV to come connected to the internet, I do dream of the day when this might happen. After all, my family uses the internet on a daily basis, and because it is used for work, RVing without it is out of the question.

When we first began our RV journey, we did a lot of research on this subject. We knew we would need a reliable connection in order to hit the road, and we knew that having our regular internet service follow us around was a no-go, so we were determined to learn everything we could.

Here are the solutions we found that other traveling RVers use every day.

Hotspots

This is the most popular solution for full-timers like myself, and it’s the solution we chose to implement. Hotspots provide the user with internet access wherever they may wander, as long as the cell coverage of the provider in question works in that area.

We currently have a Verizon hotspot, and we have found that it works almost everywhere we go. We also have T-Mobile for our phones, meaning that we have a better chance of having some sort of connection in all locations.

That said, Verizon may not be the best option for you. Be sure to research all plans and coverage zones before making a final decision. Additionally, if internet is important for your work, you may want to choose two or three different carriers for your hotspot(s) and phone(s).

Campground Wi-Fi

Many people who only need internet access for recreational purposes decide that a hotspot isn’t worth the investment and opt to use the campground Wi-Fi instead. While this option is fine for those who don’t need internet all the time and don’t need a speedy connection, I must warn you that internet is not available at all campgrounds. On top of that, even when it is available, it is not usually all that great in terms of speed, and often you will have to pay to access it.

Therefore, I recommend this option only to laid-back, recreational users who do not stream or play online games often.

Public Internet

Of course, there is always the option of using public Wi-Fi connections. This is what we do when we find our hotspot is not working well. That said, not all public connections are made equal, and finding a good one can be frustrating.

In general, we find that Starbucks and other coffee shops tend to have good connections, as do libraries. If you find yourself in a pinch and in dire need of internet access, I recommend finding one of these places.

Signal Booster

If you do decide to use whatever connections you can find in campgrounds and parking lots, you might want to invest in a signal booster. This nifty tool pulls in any signal it can find and amplifies it in your RV. This makes that weak Wi-Fi signal you pull in from the campground office completely usable and even means you can work in the Walmart parking lot while using the Wi-Fi from the neighboring Starbucks.

Now that you know your options, the next steps are to consider your work and travel style, find out what the Wi-Fi connection is like in your favorite campgrounds, think about the best hotspot plans for you, and get connected!

Author : Chelsea BarronChelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family. Check out her blog Wonder Wherever We Wander. on 05-Feb-2018 in We Wander Wherever

RV living means living minimally. After all, you can only squeeze so much stuff into such a tiny space. Fortunately, most people don’t need 75% of the stuff they think they need, meaning the minimalist lifestyle is not really all that hard to get the hang of.

That said, there are those who attempt to live in extremely small spaces such as vans, and this comes along with some pretty hardcore downsizing. At a certain point, the downsizing does become a lot more difficult, and can even require a bit of creativity.

Currently, my family and I are considering downsizing to a van, a truck camper, or a smaller trailer. Therefore, we’ve been researching ways to cut back even further on the amount of stuff we have.

RV living means living minimally. After all, you can only squeeze so much stuff into such a tiny space. Fortunately, most people don’t need 75% of the stuff they think they need, meaning the minimalist lifestyle is not really all that hard to get the hang of.

That said, there are those who attempt to live in extremely small spaces such as vans, and this comes along with some pretty hardcore downsizing. At a certain point, the downsizing does become a lot more difficult, and can even require a bit of creativity.

Currently, my family and I are considering downsizing to a van, a truck camper, or a smaller trailer. Therefore, we’ve been researching ways to cut back even further on the amount of stuff we have.

During our research, we’ve found some interesting and creative ideas for making sure every item we own is as functional as it can possibly be. For instance, many vandwellers swear by the use of pie pans in the kitchen.

Why pie pans? Sure, this may seem like a silly thing to keep on hand, but consider all the things these simple, shallow dishes can be:

Plates — Although pie pans do have a lip, they are pretty shallow. This means they can be used as plates on a day-to-day basis. However, this is far from their only use, and since you’d likely own plates no matter what, they may as well serve multiple purposes.

Bowls — Yes, they are fairly shallow, but the depth of these pans is plenty for holding chili, cereal, and other foods you might eat out of a bowl. This means your plates can become your bowls and you can avoid having a second type of dish filling your cabinets.

Pot Lids — Generally speaking, one can live without lids to go on their pots and pans. However, it sure is nice to have a lid on the rare occasion that one is needed. Pie pans are just the thing for this. They're the perfect size and shape for most medium-sized pots, and a simple potholder makes it easy to use one for this purpose.

Baking Dishes — If you’re lucky enough to have a tiny oven in your tiny RV, you’re going to want to do some baking from time to time. A pie pan can be used to make pies of course, but it can also hold a small cake or even a few cookies while baking.

Noise Makers — Sometimes camping means meeting up with a racoon or an opossum. While these critters don’t usually mean any harm, they can be quite annoying, especially if they pull garbage out of the bag or try to dig through food. Scare them away by hitting a metal spoon on a pie pan. The noise is enough to scare the creatures away without bothering the neighbors too much.

Wax Catchers — Whether you burn candles to scent your home or light them only when the power goes out, you will want to protect your counters and table tops from dripping wax. A pie pan is the perfect solution for catching that wax and keeping your surfaces as clean as ever.

These are just a few of the great ways you can use a pie pan, and I think that makes these inexpensive and easy-to-find dishes a worthy addition to any small RV or camper van.

Do you have an original use for pie pans? Tell us about it in the comments.

Author : Chelsea BarronChelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family. Check out her blog Wonder Wherever We Wander. on 31-Jan-2018 in We Wander Wherever

Several weeks ago, I posted about making friends while traveling. This is something many full-time travelers struggle with, and the difficulty of making deep connections can leave many travelers feeling discouraged.

That said, those with kids often end up with an even more difficult situation to deal with. After all, the number one concern most people have for homeschooled children is that they won’t be able to socialize. Honestly, this concern is unfounded, and most homeschooled children receive more well-rounded socialization opportunities than their peers. However, those who choose to roadschool their kids will probably have to work much harder for those opportunities.

So how can you make sure your roadschooled child is able to socialize with peers on a regular basis? Try using these ....

Several weeks ago, I posted about making friends while traveling. This is something many full-time travelers struggle with, and the difficulty of making deep connections can leave many travelers feeling discouraged.

That said, those with kids often end up with an even more difficult situation to deal with. After all, the number one concern most people have for homeschooled children is that they won’t be able to socialize. Honestly, this concern is unfounded, and most homeschooled children receive more well-rounded socialization opportunities than their peers. However, those who choose to roadschool their kids will probably have to work much harder for those opportunities.

So how can you make sure your roadschooled child is able to socialize with peers on a regular basis? Try using these ideas.

Join Fulltime Families

First and foremost, I urge you to join Fulltime Families. This organization is an amazing way to meet other families who are doing the very same thing you are. They host meetups and other events all over the country, and even have a Family Finder tool that allows you to see where potential friends might be so you can meet up on your own.

Stay a While

We’ve found that staying put for 3 weeks or more really helps us ensure our kid is getting the socialization opportunities he needs. This gives him enough time to connect with other kids in the campground, and has even given us the opportunity to jump into local homeschool group meetups.

You could also use extended stays to attend drop-in dance lessons or martial arts classes, or even be part of a community theater production!

Attend a Rally

RV rallies are by far the best way to make friends on the road. By attending a rally intended specifically for families, you will be guaranteed plenty of playmates for your kids throughout the rally and possibly even in the weeks before and after.

Not only that, but because rallies are such intense events with so many deep connections being made, you’ll likely end up traveling alongside some of your new friends when all is said and done.

Caravan with Other Families

Of course, you could jump into caravaning feet-first by joining an organized caravan with other families. This is definitely a great way to make deep connections with others. However, it does come with drawbacks.

For instance, caravans tend to be expensive to join, and you have no control over where you travel or how long you stay in a place. For these reasons, many people prefer to build their own “mini” caravans, something that often happens at rallies.

Use Email

While I don’t think young children should ever be allowed to use social media, there is something to be said for giving your elementary-aged child an email address. Not only will your little one be able to keep in touch with their friends, they will also be practicing writing while they’re at it. In my opinion, that is a win-win.

Want more ideas? Check out this article I wrote on the subject of making friends on the road as an adult. Many of these same solutions can be used by children.

Author : Chelsea BarronChelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family. Check out her blog Wonder Wherever We Wander. on 25-Jan-2018 in We Wander Wherever

Boondocking is an amazing way to see some of the most beautiful parts of our country without breaking the bank. It allows adventurers to explore further off the beaten path and gives them a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and reconnect with nature.

Unfortunately, this opportunity to see some of the country’s most gorgeous scenery does come at a price—and no, we aren’t talking about money. After all, boondocking, when done right, is completely free of charge. Instead, we’re talking about the conveniences you give up when choosing dry camping over a campground.

When boondocking, you must be willing to live with less electricity, less cell coverage, and perhaps hardest of all, less water. Of course, limited water means fewer showers, and fewer showers mean you....

Boondocking is an amazing way to see some of the most beautiful parts of our country without breaking the bank. It allows adventurers to explore further off the beaten path and gives them a chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and reconnect with nature.

Unfortunately, this opportunity to see some of the country’s most gorgeous scenery does come at a price—and no, we aren’t talking about money. After all, boondocking, when done right, is completely free of charge. Instead, we’re talking about the conveniences you give up when choosing dry camping over a campground.

When boondocking, you must be willing to live with less electricity, less cell coverage, and perhaps hardest of all, less water. Of course, limited water means fewer showers, and fewer showers mean you probably won't be smelling like a spring flower when you return from your journey into the wilderness.

Fortunately, there are ways to ensure you don’t get too smelly while boondocking. Here are our top tips for keeping clean while conserving water.

Sponge Baths — No, sponge baths are not just for bedridden individuals. In fact, a quick scrub-down with a sponge or washcloth might help you look, smell, and feel cleaner than you would think. While you can’t exactly wash your hair with a cloth, you can get the rest of your body, and this can make a world of difference. So go ahead, pull out the washcloth, get it a bit wet, and wash away.

Biodegradable Soap — Obviously, a sponge bath won't always cut it, especially if you’ve been out working or exploring in the sun and dirt. In these cases, a biodegradable soap can be a lifesaver. By using a soap that is safe for plants and animals, you can feel okay about washing in a nearby stream or river. If you’re staying on someone’s private property, you could even let your gray tank run out onto the ground. Just make sure you get permission from the landowner first, and don’t forget to use only 100% biodegradable soap.

Dry Shampoo — No stream available? You might just be stuck with sponge baths for a few days. If this is the case, you'd going to need some way to freshen up your hair. Dry shampoo is the perfect product for these scenarios. That said, not all dry shampoos are created equal; I much prefer this particular product over other brands.

Schedule Change — If you’re accustomed to showering every single day, going several days without a shower is going to feel even worse than it really is. This is because those who shower every day train their bodies to overcompensate for the natural oils lost during bathing. This means your skin will be making much more oil than it would otherwise, leaving you feeling greasy after just one day of boondocking. Try changing your usual shower schedule to see if you can make skipping showers a bit more comfortable for yourself.

I hope these tips help you feel a bit more comfortable in your own skin during your next dry camping adventure. Try to keep in mind that we all stink a little while camping, but it’s well worth the fun you’re sure to have.

Author : Chelsea BarronChelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family. Check out her blog Wonder Wherever We Wander. on 22-Jan-2018 in We Wander Wherever

Obviously, the best thing about owning an RV is the ability to travel. Not only can you travel freely, you can do it on a budget, meaning it’s fairly easy to get up and go whenever you please. However, many RVers prefer not to pack up and go on a whim. These travelers much prefer to plan their adventures in advance.

Of course, there are pros and cons to both spontaneous and planned travel. For this reason, my family finds that we enjoy both types of travel, and we will go back and forth between the two depending on our moods or the destination we have in mind.

Wondering what the pros and cons of each might be? Consider these:

Money

Thinking about your budget and planning what you will spend before leaving on a trip could potentially save you quite a bit of money. The ability to boo....

Obviously, the best thing about owning an RV is the ability to travel. Not only can you travel freely, you can do it on a budget, meaning it’s fairly easy to get up and go whenever you please. However, many RVers prefer not to pack up and go on a whim. These travelers much prefer to plan their adventures in advance.

Of course, there are pros and cons to both spontaneous and planned travel. For this reason, my family finds that we enjoy both types of travel, and we will go back and forth between the two depending on our moods or the destination we have in mind.

Wondering what the pros and cons of each might be? Consider these:

Money

Thinking about your budget and planning what you will spend before leaving on a trip could potentially save you quite a bit of money. The ability to book RV parks in advance will likely mean lower rates overall, and thinking about food and stocking up beforehand will result in spending less at restaurants.

Mood

On the other hand, spontaneous travel gives you the opportunity to hit the road whenever the mood strikes. The same cannot be said of pre-planned travel. In fact, travel that has been planned could even be scheduled for a time when your mood is less adventurous, meaning you’re stuck moving on before you’re ready.

Comfort

Comfort is another thing to consider. While having your house with you wherever you go certainly helps keep you comfortable, it’s also important to consider things like electricity, water, and temperature. Planned travel makes it easier to ensure you have hookups for your RV every night.

That said, traveling on a whim means you can move with the weather without any kind of schedule to hold you back.

Mishaps

When you live a traveling lifestyle, you are bound to run into a problem or two from time to time.

Pre-planning your trips can help you avoid many of the potential annoying mishaps out there. After all, knowing where you’re going, where you will sleep, and having a contingency plan can really go a long way.

With that in mind, you might also consider the freedom that spontaneous travel allows. This is great when mishaps do occur, as it means there is no set schedule that must be adhered to.

Adventure

Most people set out in an RV in search of adventure. Some of the very best adventures are found when you least expect to find them, meaning unplanned travel is the perfect way to find unusual adventures. Still, there is something to be said for planned travel, which allows you to research things to do in any given area and pick and choose the things that best suit your family, budget, and schedule.

So which way is the best way to travel? Personally, I like to use each type, switching between them as I see fit. However, you might find that one is much better for you. Whichever way you decide to lean, you are sure to have an amazing time

Author : Chelsea BarronChelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family. Check out her blog Wonder Wherever We Wander. on 15-Jan-2018 in We Wander Wherever

One of the most wonderful things about traveling with an RV is the ability to stop and sleep practically anywhere. After all, if you’re bringing your bed along with you wherever you go, you may as well take advantage of that fact.

That said, sometimes it just isn't convenient or financially smart to find a campground to sleep in when you are just going to get up and move again the next day. When my family runs into situations such as these, we almost always find ourselves sleeping in a truck stop, rest stop, or Walmart parking lot.

While these aren’t the most comfortable places to sleep, they do work well for quickly catching some Z’s during a long trip, and by using the tips below, we are able to sleep fairly comfortable with minimal interruptions.

One of the most wonderful things about traveling with an RV is the ability to stop and sleep practically anywhere. After all, if you’re bringing your bed along with you wherever you go, you may as well take advantage of that fact.

That said, sometimes it just isn't convenient or financially smart to find a campground to sleep in when you are just going to get up and move again the next day. When my family runs into situations such as these, we almost always find ourselves sleeping in a truck stop, rest stop, or Walmart parking lot.

While these aren’t the most comfortable places to sleep, they do work well for quickly catching some Z’s during a long trip, and by using the tips below, we are able to sleep fairly comfortable with minimal interruptions.

#1: Ask First

First and foremost, it is highly important that you ask before staying anywhere overnight. Some states have very strict laws about where RVs can stay, and breaking the laws could mean someone knocking on your door in the middle of the night.

Additionally, although most truck stops are happy to have the occasional RV or two spend the night, some of the busier locations prefer to reserve their parking places for the drowsy truckers passing through.

#2: Invest in Blackout Curtains

Once you have the go-ahead from the store manager or another person in charge, you will want to make yourself comfortable. The first step in doing this is almost always going to be hanging a set of blackout curtains.

You see, most gas stations and retail locations tend to use very bright lights in their parking lots for safety reasons. Because you will want to be as safe as possible, you will want to park near these lights. However, you also won’t want the light to interrupt your sleep.

Blackout curtains alleviate this problem quickly and easily, and for very little money.

#3: Use a Noise Machine

Another thing to consider is the noise level of the place you choose to spend the night. Rest stops, Cracker Barrel locations, and Camping World stores all tend to become fairly quiet at night. On the other hand, truck stops, and Walmart stores never really seem to sleep.

A noise machine (or a similar app on your phone) can help drown out any parking lot noise that might wake you during the night.

#4: Take Advantage of Your Vent or Furnace

Sleeping without electric hookups does not have to mean sleeping in uncomfortable temperatures. Most RV furnaces can run off of battery power and propane alone. If it’s feeling warm out, your roof vent fan used in conjunction with an open window will cool you off in a jiffy.

That said, those towing trailers will want to unplug from their tow vehicle in order to avoid draining their truck battery overnight should their trailer battery die.

#5: Have Water on Hand

Stopping for the night is probably going to mean washing your face, brushing your teeth, flushing the toilet, and making coffee in the rig. Be sure to keep some water in your freshwater tank or pack jugs of water for this purpose. You’ll be glad you did!

With these five simple tips you can go into your first truck stop sleeping session with confidence, knowing you’ll be comfy and cozy during your on-the-road rest time.

Author : Chelsea BarronChelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family. Check out her blog Wonder Wherever We Wander. on 10-Jan-2018 in We Wander Wherever

Traveling in an RV for an extended period of time is exciting and special. Unfortunately, it also comes with its own set of problems, many of which people never really anticipate.

For instance, one of the biggest issues my family runs into is finding places to hang wet towels and bathing suits. After all, RV bathrooms are not exactly large, and nobody wants wet things hanging all over their home.

Fortunately, after spending some time in our trailer we’ve been able to find solutions to this problem. Here are a few of the most logical ones we’ve found.

Extra Curtain Rod

When five of my younger siblings took a trip with us for the first time, we had to find a way to hang all eight of our towels to dry. We couldn’t hang them outside due to campground rules, so it had to be indoors. Additionally,....

Traveling in an RV for an extended period of time is exciting and special. Unfortunately, it also comes with its own set of problems, many of which people never really anticipate.

For instance, one of the biggest issues my family runs into is finding places to hang wet towels and bathing suits. After all, RV bathrooms are not exactly large, and nobody wants wet things hanging all over their home.

Fortunately, after spending some time in our trailer we’ve been able to find solutions to this problem. Here are a few of the most logical ones we’ve found.

Extra Curtain Rod

When five of my younger siblings took a trip with us for the first time, we had to find a way to hang all eight of our towels to dry. We couldn’t hang them outside due to campground rules, so it had to be indoors. Additionally, it was warm out, which meant swimsuits were also thrown into the mix. That’s when we came up with my favorite towel hanging solution: the extra curtain rod.

We simply added an extra shower curtain rod behind the existing one and used that to hang extra towels. We didn’t use our RV shower during that trip—opting to use the campground bathhouse instead—so this was the perfect solution for keeping the towels off the floor and the drips in the tub.

Command Hooks

As far as our everyday use goes, the extra curtain rod is not always the best option. After all, it keeps us from using our own shower. Therefore, we don’t always leave that extra rod up. Instead, we turn to Scotch Command Hooks.

I will admit that these hooks are not ideal for super wet things. However, they work quite well for hanging slightly damp items, allowing us to use the towel rods for the wettest ones. Best of all, the hooks stick to the wall using super strong adhesive and can be removed without damaging anything. This means we aren’t left with holes in our trailer walls and we don’t have to worry about screwing into electrical wires or plumbing.

Quick-Dry Towels

Armed with Command Hooks and an extra tension rod, we have been able to handle our wet towels and swimsuits fairly well without ever resorting to hanging things outside (something that is frowned upon in many parks, as we mentioned earlier). That said, we have seriously considered improving our wet towel situation further by investing in some quick-drying towels.

Apparently, quick drying towels such as the PackTowl will dry in no time at all, meaning one towel will likely be dry before the next one ever even needs a place to hang. For this reason, these are on our wish list.

Hopefully this article helps you create a towel drying setup that works well for you and your family. Have any tips to add? We’d love to see them in the comments below!